


Unbroken Chains

by Ohtd_luv4ever



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Annoying relatives, BAMFBilba, Dwarf Courting, Dwarf Culture, Dwarves In Exile, F/M, Feels, Gandalf Meddles, Genderbending, Hobbit Culture, Romance, Slavery, Slow Burn, dubcon, fembilbo, mischievious nephews
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-11 16:58:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1175540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohtd_luv4ever/pseuds/Ohtd_luv4ever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(ON HIATUS UNTIL MY MUSE FOR THE STORY RETURNS.) </p>
<p>Bilba Baggins is living in bag end a few years before the quest for Erebor is due to begin, when her cousin Lobelia buys a dwarf from the slave traders in Buckland and brings him home. </p>
<p>For a few weeks there’s just idle chatter about it, but then one day after the initial talk and their first meeting, Bilba sees the dwarf again after the time spent in her relatives care. </p>
<p>Overcome at the cruelty of her cousin and the state the dwarf is in, she buys the slave from Lobelia and takes him home to Bag End with her to nurse him back to health, not knowing the adventure she has welcomed to her doorstep through her act of kindness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A not so favorable introduction

**Author's Note:**

> All credit of middle earth works goes to Tolkien.

The first time the whisper of rumor about Lobelia Sackville-Baggins latest find found its way to Bilba’s ears, she paid it no mind. Her cousin was always finding new and exotic or fanciful items to bring home and gloat about over tea with the neighbors, and whatever it was this time, Bilba was sure it would be of no consequence just as all the others hadn’t been. Her cousin tired of the new things quickly and ended up selling or tossing them away, so the fad she had discovered this time would fade into the background soon enough. 

Though not before the hobbit lass had a chance to show it off to everyone from the side of Bree to all of Hobbington of course. And seeing as Bilba was Lobelia’s most despised family member, she would be the last to see her ‘exciting’ treasure as a slight to her cousin’s social status. Not that Bilba cared about social niceties or any such bothersome details. She was a Baggins…but she was also a Took, and as such had much more important things to worry about other than if she was high on the well liked to come to tea list of the ladies of the Shire. 

Sadly though, it was Polite to accept an invitation to tea, so accept she did if only so that she could get the visit over with and go back to her garden in peace. 

So it was that Bilba found herself seated on one of her cousins overstuffed chairs in the modest but well furnished living room of the smial, sipping tea and nibbling biscuits and making small talk while hardly listening to what her cousin was saying. It was only when the other hobbit mentioned dwarves that Bilba really turned her attention to her relative. 

Lobelia had an unbearably smug look on her face, and it sent a thrill of nervous energy through Bilba’s body as she took in the expression. That look never boded well for whom it was directed, and when her cousin picked up a small brass bell and shook it almost as a summons, a dawning horror began its climb from the pit of Bilba’s stomach up to her heart. 

The feeling intensified when there came from the other room a slow shuffling and the clink of metal striking itself, and when the door was pushed open and a tall, if slightly hunched form made its way into the living room; it was all Bilba could do to stop the gasp of disbelief from escaping her throat. 

For the ‘treasure’ that her cousin had brought home this time was not a pretty bauble or a new stitching of lace, but a Person. A dwarf to be precise, tall and handsome if abit gaunt and worse for the wear in appearance. The face of the male was down turned in subjugation, but Bilba could see the line of a proud nose, a strong jaw framed in a dark beard and brows pulled down in a furrow of displeasure. His cheeks were slightly sunken from lack of good food, the tattered clothing hung loosely from the dwarfs frame and an all over air of neglect seemed to hang about the being; but Bilba had no doubt in her mind that the dwarf would be striking if properly taken care of. 

The harsh nasal grate of her cousin’s voice ripped the owner of Bag End from her musings, and she could only watch in a shocked sort of numb disbelief when Lobelia Ordered the dwarf to kneel by her chair. When the dwarf silently refused, his hobbit mistress narrowed her eyes at him and slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of scissors and set them upon her lap purposefully. 

The dwarf’s whole frame seemed to stiffen up into a pillar of stone, but slowly, he moved to do as she bid and kneeled as best he could with shackled ankles by the seat. 

Bilba watched the whole exchange, her mouth partially open from the shock of seeing the atrocity that her cousin had brought into the shire by her purchase, and swallowed fitfully a few times to compose herself. It would do the dwarf no good for her to explode in her cousin’s face about the immorality of the act, it would likely just get the other in trouble and that was the last thing that she wanted to happen to the poor male. So Bilba kept her mouth tightly closed and politely listened to Lobelia drone on about her incredible find, all the while plotting in her mind privately on how to get the dwarf away from his fate as soon as possible. 

As quickly as it was socially acceptable, Bilba excused herself and fled the smial, her anger at her cousin burning bright as the sight of cobalt blue eyes gone flat with despair followed her departure through the doors of her cousins house and away from the heart wrenching scene. 

It was a full two weeks before Bilba could bring herself to go anywhere near Lobelia’s house again, after that horrible incident with the dwarf and all the hobbit was feeling rather put out. There was very little she could do to help the poor dwarf until her cousin tired of him, and that could take months. Bilba didn’t want to leave the dwarrow in the clutches of her cousin for any longer than she had to, and so had sent a few letters out to her mother’s old friend Gandalf to try and see if she could enlist his help in the matter. 

Being a wizard however she had the feeling that Gandalf wouldn’t be arriving until he ‘precisely’ means to, and that left Bilba with the dilemma of how to free the dwarf on her own.   
If possible she wanted to avoid having to Buy him, which would be only a little better than what was happening to him at this time. Of course Bilba would be a much better mistress than her cousin but the point was that she didn’t want to be his mistress at all. 

So for weeks she pondered and worried and tried desperately to think of a solution, but still at the end of the month and she still hadn’t come up with anything better than purchasing the dwarf, Bilba was hard pressed not to give up on the scheme completely. 

Of course it didn’t help matters any that any time she went near her cousins house the memory of the blue eyes staring after her and the poor state that the dwarf was in pulled at her heart, it simply wasn’t right for someone to be put in such a situation. 

So she tried to be patient and to hold her tongue and Not Think about the dwarf that her cousin held, and though she failed rather spectacularly in that regard, she did manage to keep herself from marching over to her relatives and demand that her cousin loose the dwarrow she held captive. 

Though her silence was soon to be broken, though at the time she didn’t know it; or the change that would be coming into her life due to one dwarrow, her own inclinations to adventure and trouble…and the will of a wizard.


	2. Confrontations and Determination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tolkiens still gets all the credit
> 
> Thank you so much to those who have already commented or kudo'd for me on this, I wasnt expecting such a quick response. Im glad you like it so far, I look foreward to adding more.
> 
> As always all mistakes are mine, hope you enjoy!

Bilba was vigorously attacking a basket of mushrooms that she had collected that day while out in the forest surrounding the shire in an attempt to make into a soup for her dinner that night when her gardener Hamfast Gamgee came tearing into her house without even knocking. 

That in itself was terribly odd, but with the wild and somewhat panicked look that had settled in the hobbits eyes shining bright in unshed tears, alarm quickly suppressed the mild irritation that the unexpected interruption had caused in Bilba. 

“Hamfast whatever is the matter with you?”

Hardly had the words left her mouth before the kindly male hobbit had seized her hand and begun to tug her along behind him twored Bag Ends open front door, a rushed stream of garbled words escaping her friends mouth as he pulled her along. Bilba had to plant her feet on the rug in the front hall and shout the others name twice before he would stop long enough for her to get a question in to figure out what was wrong. What she was able to decipher, made her blood run cold and caused a chilling disbelief to wind its way around her heart. 

“Miss Bilba please you’ve got to do Something, I’m afraid she’s going to kill him the way that its going, everyone’s been so upset by it since she brought him here and now this is happening and she wont Stop…”

Hamfast wrung his hands anxiously, looking at his friend whom he knew was braver than he, who would attempt to stop the tragedy that was taking place in the square. When he had seen what was happening he had come running as quickly as he could to fetch the owner of Bag End. For while there were people who could step in and stop what was happening temporarily, Bilba was one of the only ones he could trust to put a stop to the horror permanently. 

Gritting her teeth, Bilba turned and ran to her mothers glory box that was situated near the door and unlatched the well polished lid, shifting aside a few of the more feminine objects that occupied the wood to lift out a small elvish made blade attached to a leather belt . She didn’t Think she would need it against her fellow hobbit, but it was a nice thing to have for intimidation purposes and it would make her feel better to have he mothers weapon from her adventures to help her protect the dwarf. 

Hurrying past her gardener and shutting the door to Bag End behind them, Bilba had Hamfast lead her to where the incident was taking place; the heavy weight of the sword bumping soothingly against her hip with each long stride that she took as they neared a crowd of hobbits. Nearly all of them in the crowd were upset in some way or another, and Bilba could see several of the Thain’s present in the group. Pushing her fellow hobbits out of the way not wasting time on words, Bilba flinched as she heard the ominous crack of a pony whip strike something that was definitely not air. Going by the horrified gasps of the closest hobbits, Lobelia had finally gone to far even for her status and reputation to be able to fix. 

Bursting through the mass of her fellow shirelings, Bilba stumbled into the scene of the trouble and she too was struck by the sheer horror of what her kin had done this time. There on the ground, surrounded by parcels and packages of various sizes lay the dwarf that her cousin had bought not a month ago. He had looked to be in bad shape before, but now it was quite obvious that his time with Lobelia had done him more harm. Thin now to the point of him being all sharp angles and little flesh, his hair matted and dirty and uneven in places, the clothes ratty and threadbare and not even shoes on his not hobbit tough feet were the bare minimum of the damage that Bilba could see. 

But still even with the horrible state his body was in, the dwarf still had his head held high in defiance, the blue eyes sparking with fire and anger even though he could do nothing to defend himself against the attacks against his person. He was not broken, this dwarf. He was still fighting even though he had no knowledge if things would ever get better for him. 

A wild anger rose up in her at the sight of the pitiful state of the male, and when she saw her cousin raise the pony whip to strike at the helpless form on the ground for a second time, she acted without thinking. She threw herself in front of the dwarf, flinging her arms wide to create a barrier between him and her cousin. 

“Lobelia!!”

Her cousin looked up at her almost lazily from where she was standing, the action at odds to how red her face was from anger. She narrowed her eyes at Bilba, a sneer working its way up to her lips as she took in her kin’s state of dress and the sword attached to her hip.

“Bilba dear how good of you to join us. No need for you to become involved though my cousin, I’m merely dealing with a lazy slave who’s causing trouble is all. Now if you’d kindly move out of the way ill get back to what I was doing.”

Bilba could hardly believe the words coming out of her relative’s mouth. She had known that Lobelia could be callous, but never cruel. It seemed that she was learning something new however that day, as the other woman showed no sign of joking and even went so far as to raise the whip again as she spoke. 

“I will most certainly Not move Lobelia Sackville-Baggins! You have caused harm willingly to an innocent being under your care and certainly seem intent on continuing to do so. I call you to stand before the Thain’s under charges of cruel treatment and neglect!”

A low murmur wound its way over the crowd as they looked on the face down of hobbit women, this confrontation had been a long time in coming, it had only needed a catalyst to bring it to a boiling point and it seemed that this was that point. Several of the Thain’s in the crowd were nodding in agreement to Bilba’s challenge; because of course Lobelia could press her own counter charges if she had anything against her cousin. 

A slight sheen of nervousness made its way onto Lobelia’s face as she noted the support her cousin was receiving from the crowd, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

“I charge you then cousin with false accusation against your kin!”

Bilba frowned, she had been worried something like this would happen, but she didn’t regret her actions. Not one bit. Just a glance back at the slumped form of the dwarf that had been so wrongly treated in her cousin’s care was all it took to harden her resolve. She would take her case in front of the Thain’s and get the dwarf removed from her relative’s ownership if it was the last thing she did. 

“All right Lobelia. Ill answer them. But if you think that I’m going to let you take this dwarf home with you to suffer more of your cruelty before the trial your dead wrong! He is coming home with me.”

The indignant spluttering of her cousin gave Bilba a small amount of satisfaction, but she had more pressing concerns at the moment. Like how she was going to get the dwarf back to her smial. Even thin to the point of starvation, she was sure that he would be too heavy for her to handle on the way back. Even as she turned and made her way to the obviously exhausted and most likely sick dwarrow, Bilba could hear her cousin working up to one of her rants behind her. 

But, before the she hobbit could explode at her cousin, Hamfast and several other of Bilba’s neighbors stepped in and blocked the view to Lobelia, silently informing her that they were on Bilba’s side of the argument. 

Ever so gently, she reached out and touched the dwarfs shoulder, gaining his attention and when the bleary blue eyes so filled with distrust and pain turned on her, Bilba felt her heart break just a little inside her chest. 

“Hey…”

She murmured quietly, ignoring the outside world for a few long moments so that it was just her and the dwarf conversing. Nothing else mattered but getting him safe and taken care of at this point. Worrying about keeping him away from her cousin was something that would come up later but not now. 

“I’m Bilba Baggins, we met awhile ago. I don’t know if you remember me or not and that’s ok. All that matters right now is that you’re not going back with that horrid cousin of mine again. I’m going to get you back to my house, and see if we can’t get you back into better shape. All right?”

 

The dwarf blinked at her a few times, disbelief and wariness clear in his expression, but slowly he nodded and allowed Bilba to hoist him as much as she could off the dusty ground. He tried to gather his feet under him to take some of his still impressive weight off of his savior, but he was so weak that his legs just gave up on him a few moments later. Luckily Hamfast had scurried over to support the side that Bilba couldn’t, and so between the two of them, they carted the dwarf away to the fading sounds of Lobelia’s outraged shouts and the murmur of the neighbor’s gossip that would be spreading like wildfire before the day was through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so second chapter up! I couldnt resist adding another as soon as I could, and im liking how this is going so far. 
> 
> quick few clarifications. 
> 
> If you havnt already guessed our dear beloved dwarf is Thorin, but you neednt worry about him being to terribly OOC. Im working up to the point of him getting back to his usual majestic grumpiness, but for now he's going to be a bit subdued and meek until Bilba coaxes him back to his old self. 
> 
> And if you couldnt tell, I dont like Lobelia. She makes a good villian however. 
> 
> Hopefully im portraying some of the other characters fairly well, a few tweaks here and there shall probibly be made, but if theres another character anyone would like to see at a later date...or have a suggestion or any some such little thought for me id love to hear. Especialy if in regards to secondary pairings.  
> As always constructive critisism is welcome, just no bashing please. thank you
> 
> hopefully ill have another chapter up soon, thank you for your guy's feed back it is much appriciated. Until next time!


	3. Arrival at Bag End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All credit for Middle Earth belongs to Tolkien
> 
> here we go new chapter! Hope you guys enjoy!

When Bilba, Hamfast and the dwarf arrived at Bag End, none of the anger that the female hobbit felt twored her cousin had faded in the least, instead, as they maneuvered her house guest into one of the chairs and Hamfast scurried off into the kitchen to get the male a glass of water or two and some bread; Bilba could feel it multiplying exponentially. 

The gaze of her guest was heavy and tangible even as she puttered about the living room, grabbing a pillow here and a blanket there and tried to make him as comfortable as possible. When Bilba turned to help Hamfast with the tray that he had brought from her kitchen and found the dwarf staring at her intensely, a shiver worked its way down her spine. There was just something about the icy blue eyes that even in the midst of rags and dirt seemed…majestic.  
Like the dwarf if he was stronger would certainly not be allowing her to help him in such an embarrassing situation. 

But it didn’t matter, seeing as Bilba was nothing if not stubborn, and this dwarf was getting her help no matter if his pride was in tatters and he wouldn’t want to accept it. Let it never be said that a Baggins didn’t care for her guests, even when they weren’t completely amiable to the help. 

Holding up the glass of cool water to the dwarf’s lips, Bilba engaged in another staring match with the male, until finally he took a few slow sips. When the glass was half gone she smiled encouragingly and offered a piece of the fresh bread she had made that day. Again the distrustful glare came back, and it took another few long moments before the other would take the piece from her to eat it. 

Bilba really couldn’t blame him though, after all who knew what he had gone through with her cousin. When the silence became too loud in the room, with Hamfast peeking nervously out from the kitchen entrance and the dwarf slowly consuming the fare brought to him, Bilba talked. 

She talked softly, as one would to soothe and injured animal or frightened child, and while she had a feeling that the dwarf wouldn’t like it later, for now it was the only tone she could think to take that wouldn’t upset him. So she talked, mostly gibberish, just something to fill in the air and leave the place not so silent. And when the bread and water were gone and the dwarf had finally stopped scowling so hard at her, Bilba let the gibberish trail off and real substance form in her mouth. 

“What’s your name Mr. Dwarf? I can hardly go around calling you that while your here and I refuse to call you bye anything less than your name.” 

The stunned look in the so far icy blue eyes brought a small sense of accomplishment to Bilba, and for several moments it looked like the dwarf would speak, his mouth opening and closing a few times in succession. However it was a full minuet before the incredulity faded from his expression and it seemed to the hobbit that the dwarf sat abit taller in the chair, a small amount of his self coming back to him at the reminder that he had name and that someone cared to hear it, to remember it as belonging to him. 

When he did speak a thrill shot through Bilba, for even disused, the dwarfs voice was a captivating low bass that seemed to fill the room and command attention. She had no doubt that when he was back to his full strength, that her guest would indeed be something to behold.

“I am Thorin Oakenshield.”

Smiling widely, Bilba gave a short nod and stuck her hand out, intent on properly introducing herself to her guest. 

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Oakenshield. I’m Bilba Baggins, your host for the time being. Are you feeling up to a bath?”

Thorin blinked at this strange, brave, utterly unpredictable hobbit lass that was sitting in front of him, bemusement on his face. He had been thrown for a loop the last hour, his life going from a living hell to something bearable in such a short amount of time and all thanks to the seemingly kind small being seated in front of him. No one else in this peaceful little town had even shown much reaction when he first arrived, non but her. The female hobbit that dressed as a man and didn’t seem to enjoy the tea that his mistress had set out the day they had met. There had been something different about her; he had seen that right away. It was in the way that she looked at him, with horror and shock barely veiled in her hazel eyes, as if she didn’t Like what he was going through. 

Then she had up and left so quickly, that for a while, Thorin thought he had imagined the compassion in the others eyes. It certainly seemed so when he was left to the mercy of the she hobbit that called herself his mistress, and as his condition worsened and no one did anything and he didn’t see the odd hobbit lass again, the small spark of hope that had risen in his chest was snuffed.

Then the horrendous incident with the parcels in the square had begun, and through the haze of pain that had settled over his senses, Thorin heard the same voice of the hobbit he had met a while before break through the smog of his thoughts just as the blows stopped striking him. He didn’t put two and two together however, until the female was kneeling in front of him telling him that he wouldn’t have to go back with that horrendous other hobbit again.

 

It hadn’t quite sunk in yet for him, it just couldn’t be true. After all that time for him to be rescued…no it was too good for it to last. Soon enough the harpy disguised as a hobbit wench would come crashing in demanding his return and that would be the end of that. But…while he could, Thorin would take the kindness offered him; even if he was wary about it. 

“A…bath would be very nice.”

The mere thought of being Clean again, to not have the dust of the road and the muck of his work clinging to him, it caused an excited gleam to creep into Thorin’s eyes. It would make him feel abit less of a slave and more of a free dwarf again, no matter how soon it ended the experience would strengthen him for the trials ahead. 

Bilba smiled gently and stood, nodding enthusiastically once her guest responded. 

“Very good. A bath will most certainly help. Then later well have dinner and you can change into some not…um…ruined clothes. Yes, ill see if ive anything that will fit you then you can just slip into them!”

Hurrying down the hall to run the bath, Bilba mentally began prepping the food she was going to make as a side dish to the soup she had simmering on the stove. Of course there were other concerns, like airing out a guest room and fluffing pillows, finding the promised change of clothes and then getting her guest to actually trust that she wasn’t going to turn into a dragon and eat him, or send him back to Lobelia either. 

When the hot water was cheerfully gurgling into the tub, a nice bar of pine scented soap and towels were laid out along with a nice fluffy robe, Bilba remembered that she had left poor shy Hamfast to deal with her dwarf visitor. Sighing softly, the owner of Bag End quickly hurried back down the hall and came in to a surprisingly domestic scene. 

Hamfast was sharing a pipe with the dwarf, who was leaning back in the chair he had been placed in, looking at the fire with an almost content expression on his face. Of course the illusion was abit cracked due to the horrible state the dwarf’s body was in, but a few weeks under Bilba’s cooking and he would soon be fit as a fiddle. 

“Baths ready for you Mr. Oakenshield, it’s down the hall to your left the third door. Do you need help getting there?”

She hated to ask, but seeing as he had needed assistance making it to her home, she didn’t want to just leave him to fall in the hallway. The faint glower was all the reply she needed really, but Thorin didn’t snap at her; merely handed Hamfast his pipe back and heaved himself to his feet. Abit unsteadily expectedly, but he stayed upright and made his way to the entrance for the hall unaided. 

“Thank you but I will not need assistance.” 

Slowly but surely Thorin could feel his pride returning, and even if he managed to hurt himself more in the process, he was going to walk unaided to the bathroom for a good long soak. 

Bilba watched her guest make his way into the hallway, and while she didn’t offer to help him move, she did hover just abit to make sure he didn’t fall into a wall or topple onto her floor. It would be a pain to get him off the carpet and it would probably be counterproductive to his healing. When the bathroom door closed behind the dwarf, Bilba quickly turned and dashed back to her kitchen to have a meal up on the table for the dwarf when he returned. After all, if she was going to help him become healthy again then she needed to have good food ready. 

Thorin sunk into the steaming water with a barely stifled groan of bliss and the heat began to unravel his aching muscles. It had been far too long since he was able to indulge in such a luxury, certainly never in such a nice bathroom either. For long minuets the dwarf simply soaked in the water, letting the stress melt off of him. He could almost believe he was back in his home in the Blue Mountains if not for the chains around his ankles and his wrists. Sighing softly, Thorin pulled over the bottle of shampoo that had been left for him and lathered his hair twice, dunking and rinsing it out thoroughly each time before repeating. When his hair felt clean again, the exiled king quickly scrubbed in the conditioner, letting it soak in as he tended to the rest of his body. His beard needed to be trimmed once it was clean, and his hair would need to be brushed and assessed for damage. 

It took nearly half the bar of soap for his body to be moderately clean and by then the water was murky. So Thorin drained the tub and refilled it and began the cycle again. Once more he had to drain and refill before he felt satisfyingly clean, but how glorious a feeling it was to be rid of the dirt and grime and dried blood. The cuts, bruises, and various scrapes he had sustained from his former mistress stung and ached from all the cleansing, but it was a good pain for Thorin. Draining the tub for the final time, he stepped out of the porcelain and onto the warm fluffy rug of the bathroom; toweling himself off with one of the soft towels he had been provided. Now that he was clean, Thorin could see just how bad of shape his body was in, and a sneer curled his lip at the state he had allowed himself to fall in. 

He would have a few new scars, and it would take a long while until he was back at a healthy weight, maybe never if the she devil of a hobbit came back for him. But if the...Bilba Baggins insisted on feeding him, he would not complain. 

Just as he was pulling on the slightly too short robe that he had been given to wear, there was a light knock on the door. 

“Um…Mr. Oakenshield, ive brought you some clothes. I’m afraid they will probably be abit short for you, but we can get some better ones soon.”

Thorin opened the door and was met by the rather amusing sight of his hostess with a stack of clothes piled high in her arms, only the top of her curly head poking out over them. Her hazel eyes widening in shock and a pink flush suffusing the tips of her ears bemused the dwarf for a few moments before he realized that he had neglected to tie the robe closed. Quickly he held the fabric together, a faint blush of his own decorating his cheeks as the hobbit floundered for a few moments on what to say to diffuse the embarrassing situation. 

“Um...well. Thank you.” 

Shoving the clothing at her guest, Bilba quickly fled the bathroom and went back to the kitchen. Who knew how the dwarf was still able to be so…well built even far too thin than what was healthy. 

The table was set and food was waiting, she had dismissed Hamfast a good while ago with a plate of cookies for his help, and now all she could do was wait for her guest to arrive for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the nice feedback ive been getting for this, it warms my writers soul. 
> 
> Until next time!


	4. Memories are not Always kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All credit for Hobbit and related works goes to Tolkien
> 
> extra warning for this chapter: Sad as a crying baby hobbit angsty feels! no seriously not happy feels in this chapter at first. ok...but then fluff. I promise. sorta. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Dinner was a mixture of awkward silence and staring. Of course Bilba was used to such dinners having to deal with Lobelia on a near weekly basis, so she merely endured the searching looks. And demurely went about eating her food.

Thorin was in heaven. He had died and gone to the halls of his ancestors, that was the only explanation for the wondrous fare that he was consuming. A rich, hearty mushroom soup, crusty thick slices of warm bread slathered in butter, fresh steamed and stir fried vegetables of various sorts and large mugs of ale were all placed in front of him and devoured in quick order. The female hobbit had even made green food taste good. Never in his born days had Thorin thought he would be willingly eating vegetables let alone enjoying them, but as it was, he did indeed have two servings. 

The rather vigorous way that her guest was consuming his meal pleased Bilba, but she knew that it could also just be the starvation talking. After he was back to a healthy weight then she would have to see if she could locate a favorite food for him. 

After the consumption of food slowed to a slow trickle, the hobbit stood and brought out a warmed blackberry crumble from her oven and a dish of whipped cream from her icebox and set them both on the table in front of her guest. 

“Try not to eat too much or I’m afraid you’ll get a stomach ache.”

Thorin nodded slowly, forcing himself to not openly stare at the decedent looking sweet offered to him. It was a little known fact that berries were rather popular amongst Durin’s folk, Thorin especially loving the little fruits and most anything made from them. But he did not know how thin of ice he tread upon, and for now it would be safest just to play the obedient subservient slave. 

As much as it chafed at his badly shredded pride to continue to stoop to the level of playing meek and lowly; survival was more important. 

Unbeknownst to the dwarf, Bilba noticed the change in his demeanor and it saddened her. She didn’t Want to have a perfectly obedient dwarf that was afraid of being punished for doing something wrong. She wanted to see what her guest Could be and had been before the whole mess of being forced into slavery happened. 

He was a right mess, a good trimming and grooming would go a long way to helping restore some of his confidence she was sure. So as her guest finished his desert, Bilba slipped into her parent’s old room and retrieved his hair care set. When she got back, the sight that awaited her was rather sweet, and a smile found its way onto her face as she observed the near slumbering dwarf. 

Thorin had fallen into a food coma. After so long without enough to eat, his stomach was weighted down with the meal and he was unbearably sleepy. But exhausted as he was, Thorin’s nerves wouldn’t allow him to relax. He had been too ingrained with protective instincts, both for his own safety…and that of his hearts joy. A frown twisted his handsome features as memories rushed up to claw at his wounded heart. Guilt heavy like a crushing burden settled on his mind as remembered sights of laughing brown and blue eyes sparkling in mischief that were dulled with fear and pain that he was unable to stop. 

A black cloud of despair began to settle its chill fingers around the exiled dwarfs heart as he rested his weary head on his chained wrists, the cool bite of the metal to his warm cheek just another reminder that he was powerless to even find out what had become of his sister sons. He had been torn from their sides to be sold when he became too much to handle, and the separation in itself was a far crueler fate than any he had been dealt since their capture. 

He knew that his kin and those loyal to his family would be searching for them, but the long months that had passed with no sign nor hope of a rescue had dwindled Thorin’s spirit. Surly by now his dear nephews had been rescued, but there was no guarantee and no amount of self convincing filled the painful gap in his chest nor dulled the Ache of failure that knocked away at his very breath each time he remembered their once smiling faces.

For what good was he now, for all that he had been; the past cloaked in dust and ashes and fire. Then was a long time ago and now held just as bleak a future as the day the dragon descended to rein death and destruction upon the kingdom of Erebor. An exiled and enslaved king, not strong enough to neither protect his kin nor free himself from bondage…what use was he to his people now.

Bilba watched with an odd sense of foreboding as the dwarf’s posture began to slump more and more back to the defeated incline that she had seen when she had first caught sight of the other in her cousin’s parlor. Well. She was having none of that. Marching over to the drooping shoulders and clouded eyes, Bilba dared to rather boldly touch the dwarfs head, and even as she registered the silky texture of the dark mocha locks, her dwarf’s chin raised and looked up at her. 

The mixture of surprise, distrust, and blatant emotional turmoil that his cerulean orbs revealed in his moment of weakness nearly caused Bilba to burst into tears that very moment, but she refused and simply held up the grooming kit; willing her voice not to shake. 

“I…I think a clean up for your hair would do you a world of good Mr. Oakenshield, if you’d follow me to the bathroom again ill do it for you.”

For a few heart stopping moments, Thorin feared that his new mistress meant to Shave him. But when all he saw in the box she held out was a comb, a pair of scissors and a mirror; the tension that had flooded his body drained away. He really could do with a grooming, but the sheer intimacy of what she had so casually suggested…brought a blush to the dwarf’s cheeks. He knew he could not refuse her, and so slowly nodded; trying desperately not to think about how gently her hand rested on the crown of his head. 

A slow smile worked its way onto Bilba’s face at the acceptance she got, and without waiting for the dwarf to change his mind, she gently took one of his large, work roughened hands and lead her guest back to the bathroom for his trimming. 

Thorin was perched on a cushioned stool with a towel draped around his shoulders not five minuets later; warily eyeing the pair of scissors and that the hobbit held in her grip. He had never wanted to trim his beard in the first place, but the fire of Smaug had singed it and as his penance until the reclamation of Erebor he was honor bound to keep his facial hair short. But it never got any easier for him, and this time would be not unlike any of the others but for a few key aspects. 

For one, all the times he had performed the ritual of clipping and trimming his beard, he had never had soft a feminine hand cupping one side of his jaw, inspecting his face from different angles so that her efforts would be even. Nor in the past long months whenever he had been allowed to bathe had their been kind touches and a well made comb of carved bone to gently untangle his long silver streaked wild mane of hair. 

The feeling was relaxing and familiar, reminded him of when his own siblings would do the very same thing for him and he for them. Slowly under the soothing ministrations, Thorin felt the cloud of doom and despair lifting from his shoulders; for not everything could be wrong with the world, some hope had to remain if there were such gentle creatures as this Bilba Baggins left in Middle Earth.

And when the scissors finally began to snip away at his beard, the exiled king hardly noticed it. It wasn’t so terrible with happy memories and gentle touches to distract him from the shame of having to shear the hair. Despite his best intentions, this hobbit was hard to dislike or distrust. The day that Bilba Baggins was dishonest or untrustworthy seemed ever so far off in Thorin’s mind, and he couldn’t help but wish that such a day would never come. And when she was finished; with her kind smiles and encouraging words, Thorin could almost believe that his life would improve, that maybe one day he could convince his mistress to let him seek out his nephews and family, perhaps even visit. Or if she was truly the being she was portraying…even be set free. 

He could almost believe it, for once his heart was not weighed down so low with his mistakes and failings; he had hope and the thought of the future no longer pained him. But as all good things that come to the Durin line, the frame of mind was not to last. For no matter how kind the mistress or comfortable the sleeping arrangements that he found himself settled in a short while later…nothing could stop the nightmares from coming. 

Nothing could block out the memories of blood and pain and terror, helplessness and rage. Not only from the mountains fall but from Azanulbizar and his own capture and selling into slavery. Those events would haunt the strongest of individuals, and Thorin was no exception. 

Only he was used to being alone when they struck and being woken with a boot thrown at his face. Never had he had such a kind hostess as Bilba Baggins, and he didn’t take into account that her very caring nature would put her in harms path when he woke screaming the battle cry of his people into the night as he woke from his personal demons, eyes blind to the waking world for long moments as the long gone images of death and suffering that were burned into his brain caused him to strike out in defense. 

And so it was that night that when the terrors came and he turned in his sleep, calling out in khuzdull for those lost and those he wished to be found; that the very thing he had not thought to consider was set into motion. So in his blind panic with the last war strewn memories fresh in his mind, Thorin lashed out at the possible enemy in front of him with a garbled curse and all his strength; sending the nightgown clad form of Bilba Baggins crashing into the wall of the room where she slumped to the wooden floor, and did not get up again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay another chapter! So....I regret nothing. not the angst not the fluff not anything. Didnt give you much by way of revelation of any burning questions I know...but maybe I will next chapter? Or maybe not....you never know. But slow progress is progress after all. Hope to see you all again soon!
> 
> Ohhh yes. PS: Would anyone be interested in a side story for UnbkChn secondary pairings that happen in the same universe and loosely follow the timeline of the story, but have thier own set of love. 
> 
> pairings such as a DwalinxNori or BofurxDwalin or NorixBofur or Orix? any pairing youd like to have such an apearence of just add into a comment, the most requested gets one of the slots! Oh and the reason i dont mention the ever loved KilixFili is that their showing up in the main story already. hope to hear from you all soon!


	5. Making Amends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit goes to Tolkien!
> 
> Another chapter whoot! Enjoy

Shaking off the last clinging vestiges of the nightmare, Thorin pressed one of his hands to his face and attempted to regulate his breathing. As calm came so did a foggy recollection of his violent reaction to the past terror; and with a foreboding sense of horror, he raised his head. There on the wooden floor crumpled like a string less marionette lay his hostess. 

A candle that she had been carrying when the hobbit had come to chest on her guest was guttering weakly by Bilba’s left shoulder, and the threat of a fire hazard snapped the shocked dwarf out of his dazed state. 

Biting back an agonized groan of regret, Thorin quickly shambled over to Bilba and scooped her into his arms as best he could, marveling silently at how tiny she was; so light that even in his state she was hardly a burden to carry. Yet as he made his way back to the living room, the rest of his mind was desperately fighting back a rising tide of panic. 

He had Struck the one being that had shown him any kindness in many months, and she was most likely injured because of his unintentional attack. In her living room a cozy fire was still burning, and Thorin ever so gently set the hobbit in the nearest chair so that he could assess the damage he had caused. 

A purpling bruise had begun to spread from her jaw down the side of her neck and disappeared into the hobbit’s nightgown . Thorin winced even as he breathed a sigh of relief, for while he had broken no skin, the contusion looked painful and would be slow to heal. She had not woken yet and it was beginning to worry the dwarf, and thinking that perhaps she had struck her head when he had flung her away from him; Thorin gently began to inspect his mistress’s skull. 

The auburn locks were soft as silk under his fingers, and in other circumstances the act would have been an intimate one. But as it was, the discovery of a large bump on the back of Bilba’s head only sharpened the guilt tugging at the exiled dwarf’s conscience. 

Stumbling to his feet, Thorin quickly found a clean rag and filled a bowl with water from the faucet in the kitchen. Returning to the living room and finding Bilba just as he had left her, he wet the cloth and began to gently dab at the hobbits face to try and revive her. 

While he tended to his injured mistress, Thorin contemplated what would happen once she awoke. Most certainly he would be punished, for he had attacker her without provocation. The fact that it had been an accident would matter little and the possibility of the hobbit finding him not worth the trouble and sending him back to the harpy was the most unsettling of his worries. 

It was another few minuets until Bilba came to, gibing the exiled royal plenty of time to work himself into a gloomy nervous wreck. When the hobbit did open her eyes, the sight of Thorin wringing out the damp rag beside her with a rather impressive scowl on his face was not what she had been expecting. 

Carefully she sorted through what she remembered of the incident, and as sad smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she recalled the state she had found her guest in before he freaked out from whatever nightmare he was having and sent her crashing into the wall. 

When Thorin turned back with the cloth in one hand and found Bilba awake, the trepidation in his eyes bloomed into full resignation and he quickly lowered his gaze and sat back on his knees. He didn’t want to crowd her…or be in striking distance no matter how he knew she would think he deserved it. 

“What was it about?”

The soft spoken question was not what he had been expecting in the slightest. Startled, Thorin looked up and found Bilba looking at him with compassion in her eyes not anger. Blinking a few times at his mistress, the dwarf tried desperately to realign his thoughts so that he could process what the question had meant. It proved abit unattainable seeing as his mind was a turmoil ridden mess. 

“Your nightmare…what was it about?”

Bilba sat upright, wincing as the movement caused a twinge of pain in the back of her head and her jaw, but she could recognize the signs of panic and she wanted to get her guest thinking again at least. And she was curious as to what could have frightened the dwarf so badly as to make him react that violently to the memories he was reliving in his dreams. 

Slowly, Thorin gathered his thoughts and looked at Bilba incredulously. If she wanted to hear about his night terrors before she punished him the dwarf supposed that it was her right. After all he would want to know the same if he had been attacked like that. Lowering his gaze again, the royal spoke. 

“It..was not just one thing, but many.”

When a faint movement caught his eye, Thorin had to fight back a flinch; fully expecting to be struck for his transgression. When instead the hobbit simply reached for one of his bound hands and tugged at him to come closer, another wave of confusion swept through the dwarf. Where was her anger, the blame she should be throwing at him for assaulting her? It didn’t make any sense. 

Bilba nodded, watching as the dwarf shuffled foreword on his knees to rest beside her chair. Despite what he was obviously thinking, she wasn’t angry. And his obviously remorseful behavior told her that he did not mean to strike her even more than his panicked cry and instinctive reaction had. 

She had noticed earlier in the evening that playing with his hair seemed to relax the dwarf, and so hoping to encourage him to talk, Bilba gently began to run her fingers through his silver streaked locks; fingers gliding through the silky mass and soothingly pressing at his scalp, keeping up the pressure and even strokes even when the dwarf tensed. Slowly she felt him relaxing, and when he spoke again, it was quiet but devoid of tension as it had been earlier. 

Thorin felt himself giving in to the security that the hobbit was offering with her soft caresses, leaning subtly into the touch and tension draining from his body. For now she didn’t seem to be angry, and he would take the chance to answer her as she had asked him to. 

“I have fought in wars mistress Baggins, survived the downfall of my people and have been through nearly every hardship imaginable these last few years. I have lost nearly all of my family to battle, hunger or slavers and I have been able to do Nothing to stop any of it. That is what haunts my dreams.”

Bilba blinked back tears at the defeated tone that her dwarf spoke in, the horrors he must have witnessed were not even barely described in his words, but all the same; the weight of the statements hung heavy with years of pain. 

“Mr. Oakenshield…I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what it has been like for you. I know you doubt me, you’ve every reason to. Your stay at the shire hasn’t exactly been ideal and what has happened to you to bring you here is in no way fair or right. I can’t promise you much right now, and I know your’ rather unlikely to believe me. But, I will say this. I am going to do everything in my power to help free you so that you never have to go back to my cousins. I have no desire to keep you here unwillingly and certainly not as a slave, that’s the reason I interfered in the first place.”

Oh how Thorin wished he could believe the kind, mesmerizing words coming from his hosts mouth. Freedom…the longing put into that simple thought nearly stunned the dwarf, but at the same time he wasn’t surprised really. He had wanted it for so long and this hobbit was offering to help him so casually. But as much as he longed to believe the words he couldn’t. Too long under the cruelty of other beings had destroyed his sense of optimism, and until it happened…Thorin wouldn’t be able to let himself hope for it. 

“Thank you mistress….”

Bilba flushed at the word that Thorin addressed her with; she didn’t like the sound of it. Obviously he didn’t believe her, but that would change in time she hoped. Sighing softly, she went to stand but collapsed back into the chair with a pained groan as the lump on her head and the bruise at her throat made a comeback appearance. 

Alarm quickly spread over Thorin’s face as he observed Bilba’s pained expression and he tried to get to his feet, but the chains on his ankles brought him up short and with a startled cry, he pitched foreword and fell onto the hobbit, pinning her to the chair under him. A deep hued blush bloomed on the royal’s cheeks as he realized the compromising situation he had accidentally put himself in; and Thorin mentally cursed his birth in his mind. Assaulting his host and falling on her in less than one night. Not a good track record to start off with. 

 

Bilba eeped, her hands coming up to prop the heavy dwarf off of her chest as he fell, and with her cheeks burning bright in her embarrassment, the hobbit peeked up at the equally red faced dwarf over her. It took abit of maneuvering, but together they managed to get upright again. Bilba was still confused as to why the dwarf had so suddenly lost his balance in the first place, but she got her answer soon enough when Thorin settled back on his haunches and his bare lower legs were revealed.   
The metal shackles had bitten deep into his skin, and blood was sluggishly trickling down his ankle from the wounds the restraints had caused. 

Giving no thought to her injury, the hobbit gasped in horror and shot up from the chair. How she could have forgotten about the metal inhibiting the dwarf’s movement she would never know. But, thankfully her mother’s glory box held something that would definitely help. Rummaging through the chest, Bilba removed a leather wrapped bundle and sat on the floor in front of the dwarf, grabbing one of his ankles and setting it in her lap. She didn’t notice his startled look or the deepening of his blush and simply concentrated on getting the lock pick set unwrapped. It had a long time since she had any cause for lock picking, but hopefully she wasn’t so rusty as to not be able to open a simple set of locks such as these. 

Thorin stared in bemused curiosity as the hobbit inserted the little picks and began to move them around inside the lock. He was trying and failing to understand the female, for every time he thought he had her pinned down, she escaped his label and surprised him again. As she worked, Thorin found himself admiring the auburn curls, gently curved feminine face, and even her small delicate body. The sharp click of an opening lock however brought him out of his looking and with an embarrassed huff, he looked away quickly. 

With one lock open, Bilba gently eased the metal off of the dwarf’s ankle, a sad little sound escaping her as she saw the bloodied abrasions the restraint had caused. It would need to be cleaned and wrapped. Swiftly Bilba set to work on the other cuff, and when it too was open she threw the offending object far into the corner with a satisfied smirk. 

The lack of heavy weight on his legs stunned Thorin for a few long moments, and he looked at his bare ankles in disbelief. He had the shackles on him for so long and now they were gone. Removed by Bilba. Looking up at his host, the dwarf swallowed a few times, unable to properly thank her with words just yet. But she wasn’t done, and soon his wrists were freed from the metals embrace as well. 

“There that’s much better. I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to get those off sooner. Dreadful thing.”

“You….you are sorry.”

Shaking his head, Thorin stared at Bilba, his confusion finally boiling over and his old personality making a swift reappearance as he spoke.

“You have done more for me, been kinder to me asking so little than any other being I have ever met. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Bilba shrugged, ripping up part of the rag that Thorin had been using to use as makeshift bandages until the morning when she could properly care for the wounds. With the non ripped section, she wetted the cloth and gently began cleaning the blood from the dwarfs limbs, wrapping the injury’s when she was finished. 

“I could have acted sooner.”

Looking up at Thorin from between her lashes, Bilba bit her lip, her own guilt a heavy weight in her stomach as she thought back on the weeks she had done nothing while the dwarf had obviously suffered under her cousin. 

“That you acted at all was a welcome surprise.”

Thorin yawned, placing a freshly bandaged arm in front of his face to hide the action. He was tired, and with how relaxed he was, sleep was calling to him rather incessantly. But he didn’t want to leave his host without any medical attention after she had so kindly bandaged him. 

Sensing his train of thought, Bilba quickly stood, offering her hand to help the dwarf to his feet. She would be fine; it was just a bruise and a goose egg on her head after all. 

“Ill be all right. You need to go back to sleep, we can talk in the morning. Ok Mr. Oakenshield?”

Wanting to protest, Thorin was about to plead his case when another yawn wracked his frame and he swayed on his feet. The emotional turmoil and care he had received had exhausted him, and his body was more than ready to be back in the soft bed that he had been provided with. So reluctantly, he allowed the hobbit to take him back to his room. 

“Goodnight mistress Baggins..”

Bilba frowned up at Thorin; hand on the doorframe as she tilted her head back to be able to look him in the eye. He really was rather tall. 

“Just Bilba Mr. Oakenshield. I’m not your owner, so I don’t want to hear you call me that again. Now, get a good nights rest and ill see you in the morning for first breakfast. Goodnight.”

And with that, she left him standing in the doorway to watch her disappear down the hall and into her own bed for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Sloooooow progress yay! 
> 
> Bit more fluff for you, with some angst sprinkled on. 
> 
> Until next time!


	6. Trials and Adventures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit goes to Tolkien for the Hobbit and all Middle Earth works
> 
> Thank you to all who have kudo'd and commented, you keep me motivated and inspired!

The trial started when the head Thain took his seat. Being hobbits, the shire had no real court system, but the dance hall set up with chairs and a wooden desk at the front of the room where the thain’s of the various clan houses sat sufficed for the purpose. 

Bilba Baggins was sitting in a chair next to Thorin, stubbornly not looking at her cousin who was less than ten feet away from her. If she did, the hobbit wasn’t sure what she would do. The stark white linen bandages were on display due to the shorter clothes that Bilba had been able to procure for the dwarf, and the clothes also showed off his bad physical state to those looking on. 

Thorin was uncomfortable being placed where he was, but he knew that this was necessary if he was to stay out of the harpies grasp. It still didn’t make it any less obnoxious, but the desired end result made it worth it to some small degree. 

The head Thain Gertonius Took looked out on the gathering with a quiet sigh of resignation hovering behind his lips. If he knew Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, she would try her hardest to prove she had done no wrong, and that would be a long and arduous process to finally get her to admit defeat. But it would be done if he knew his great granddaughter. She was remarkably stubborn, and when her protective instincts were raised, it was never a good idea to get in between her and whom ever she had decided to help. 

Standing, the Thain knocked his little wooden gavel on the desk, getting the attention of the gathered crowd and cleared his throat. 

“Were here today to discuss the treatment of Lobelia’s slave. If she is found guilty, said slave will be removed from her ownership. If found innocent the slave will be returned to her and the matter will not be brought up again. Bilba, as the prosecution, you may present your case first.”

Bilba stood, her lips in a tight line and nodded to her great grandfather. Turning, she faced the group of hobbits assembled in the hall and plead her case to her people. She would be eaten by trolls willingly before she let her cousin get a hold of Thorin again. 

“My dear people of the Shire. Several of you witnessed a tragedy just a few short days ago. But the incident did not start that day; no instead it began the day that Lobelia did something unheard of for our people. She bought a slave with no intention of freeing him. One captured and forced into servitude unwillingly. And to make matters worse, when she brought him home, his condition did not improve, no it worsened. The state he is in today is only marginally better than it was when I intervened in Lobelia’s cruel whipping of Mr. Oakenshield! He has been abused and neglected, and Lobelia has violated our laws for the treatment of manservant’s. I press for the outcome of this meeting to be the removal of Mr. Oakenshield from her grasp and that she not be allowed to purchase any other being with the intent of prolonged ownership ever again.”

With that, Bilba looked around the room once more and sat down. She refused to gloat, and simply gave Thorin a gentle reassuring smile that she hoped he would believe. 

Gertonius nodded in approval, his granddaughter’s case was strong, and he certainly hoped the other Thain’s would see reason and grant her the wish of freeing the dwarf. But he also knew how stubborn his associates could be, and that the solution they came up with probably wouldn’t satisfy his female family member completely. But at least the dwarf would be out of Lobelia’s grasp. 

When she was signaled, Lobelia stood; and with a haughty sniff twored her cousin, the hobbit faced the crowd. 

“My dear friends and neighbors. The accusations leveled against me are completely unreasonable. I was merely disciplining my property on the day of the alleged incident. And before that, the only reason the dwarf began to decline was that he refused to eat. So, I ask you, are these charges really about a slave, or is Bilba just being petty and trying to attack me for no good reason. If anything, the dwarf should be punished! You can all see the bruise, and I’m sure we all Know where she got it. So I say the outcome of this should be my property being returned to me, and Bilba being brought up on false accusation charges.”

Then Lobelia sat down, and Gertonius sighed softly. Now both sides had made their cases and it was time for the Thain’s to make a decision. So he filed out with the others and spent a few minuets going over the options. When they had all reached an agreement, they filed back in and sat down. Standing, the head Thain looked out over his people and gave his verdict. 

“We have found Lobelia guilty. The slave will be taken from her ownership and given to Bilba for seven years as an indentured servant. Then he may be released. The time to serve is non negotiable. This is the final decision.”

Then he banged his little gavel down on the podium, and all hell broke loose. 

Thorin sat in stunned silence. He could hardly believe it. Not only was he allowed to live with Bilba, but he would be released in just 7 years. It was more than he had dared to hope for. He could feel a small relieved smile pulling at his lips, but a glance over at Bilba revealed that she was crestfallen. Clearly not happy with the outcome. He had a feeling that it was probably the length of time he would still be in bondage that was upsetting her. 

Bilba bit her lip, tears of both relief and sadness welling in her eyes. She was overjoyed at the win but saddened that her dwarf would remain bound so for so long. Turning to Thorin, she was surprised to see a smile on his face. Slowly the hobbit realized that it could have turned out worse, and that the win she had received was reason to celebrate in of itself. And that meant she had seven years to be with the dwarf before he left, and that was a long time. They could get a lot done in seven years to help him. 

Through the chaos around her as the rest of the hobbits began to freak out, Bilba stood and calmly gestured for Thorin to follow her. They left the noisy space behind them, a dumbstruck Lobelia still standing by her seat; utterly flabbergasted that she had been beaten so easily. 

When the door to bag eng closed behind the odd pair, the dwarf and hobbit looked at each other and simply grinned. 

“So….seven years. We’ve got seven years to be stuck with each other….what do you want to start with?”

Bilba giggled, clapping a hand over her mouth as the mirth bubbled up. She was giddy with relief and she couldn’t stop smiling. But slowly, an idea came to her. She could do something for her dwarf, even if he was stuck as her servant, it didn’t mean they couldn’t do something to make him feel freer even if he wouldn’t be for a few years.

“Thorin….”

The dwarf looked at her, still smiling, still riding the high of relief that the trial had brought to him. The look on Bilba’s face however caused him to frown slightly, and concern made its presence known in his expression as he looked at his mistress. 

“Would…I mean if you want…we could…Find them.”

All the breath left the royal in a rush at the words, and eyes wide, he tried to ascertain if the hobbit was saying what he thought she was. Hope bloomed in his chest at the earnest expression, and slowly he turned to face Bilba as she leaned against her big green round door and looked up at him; her wide hazel eyes so innocent and devoid of guile. And he believed her. 

“We could find your family…the ones you said were taken with you… we could go on and adventure and bring them back to you.”

Bilba was hoping that Thorin wasn’t in shock, he hadn’t really moved when she started talking, and the look on his face was a mixture of hope and trepidation. But when she found herself suddenly with a large armful of dwarf, with the sight of a thick brown and silver mane of hair tucked under her chin and a hard muscled body pressed up against hers in a desperate hug; she knew she had said a good thing. 

“Yes…thank you; yes. Bilba Baggins you are an angel amongst the beings of middle earth, and I will forever be in your debt. When can we leave.”

Blushing heavily at the embrace, Bilba gently patted Thorin’s back, feeling her toes barely brush her floor as the dwarf lifted her easily. 

“A…a month. Ill need to get my affairs in order so that nothing happens to the house and it can be ready when we return, plus you need time to heal.”

A slow sigh escaped Thorin at the time table and a feral grin stretched his lips even as he buried his face still in the hobbits shoulder. A month and he would be seeking his nephews. And Mahal help any whom he found that had caused his boys harm. He and Bilba were coming, and the slavers of Middle earth were in for a big surprise when they caught up to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! So, quick question for those who read the authors notes. What pairings would you all like to see besides FeeKee and Bagginshield?? Would love to hear opinions and desires for add ins. 
> 
> Until next time!


	7. To Buckland We Go or The Adventure Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All credit to Tolkien for the genius of Middle Earth

The month flew by in a flurry of activity that involved preparations regarding Bag End, the purchasing of supplies for their trip, and the healing of Thorin. Bilba had hardly allowed him to leave her smial much less do much actual work, but the dwarf had learned a good deal about house work and gardening. 

He was nearly back to a healthy weight, the scars from the manacles had begun to fade, and he no longer looked down when the hobbit entered a room. In all, he had stopped acting like a slave due to Bilba’s constant reminding him that he didn’t need to and that she was certainly not going to expect him to act like that out on the road either. Every time he started to lower his head in subservience or quietly obey her requests like they were orders, the dwarf found himself confronted with a rather agitated hobbit and was promptly set down in the kitchen with a plate of some sort of ‘comfort’ food in front of him. 

As much as the food was a welcome addition, Thorin didn’t like being pulled from whatever task he had been assigned, so he learned to simply act like a normal being again. The going was slow, months of the teaching couldn’t be completely undone with a few weeks of the opposite, but he was getting better day by day. And that was all that mattered. 

The day that they were to leave, Thorin was up with the sun. He paced around the smial like a caged wild cat, hands clasped behind him and hair still mussed from sleep. He couldn’t sit still and had nothing to do. The packs had been readied the night before, the ponies were being saddled and cared for by Hamfast, and breakfast was already made in the pantry. 

With a ragged sigh, Thorin collapsed at the breakfast table and buried his head in his hands. His mind was spinning a thousand directions at once, and panic was slowly starting to creep into the corners of his ironbound control over his emotions. He wanted to find his boys so badly, but he was helpless to do so at this point and it infuriated the exiled royal to no end. 

This was the state that Bilba found her dwarf in when she entered the kitchen dressed for the upcoming adventure; and with one look at the slumped form, she disappeared back down the hall and got the grooming kit from her pack. It had long been discovered that nothing relaxed the dwarf like a soothing hair care session, and Bilba was more than willing to supply it. She adored the feeling of long silken silver streaked locks sliding through her fingers, and it helped relax her as well. 

“Thorin?”

The royal looked up, eyes heavily clouded with his roiling emotions to see his hostess standing beside him holding out the worn wooden case that held her fathers hair care set. Smiling faintly and nodding in silent agreement, the dwarf stood and turned the chair he was sitting in backwards so he could settle on it with his back to the hobbit. 

At the compliance, Bilba resolutely began the ritual, stubbornly ignoring the flutter that made its presence known every time she was gifted with the smile that lit up the dwarfs face when he allowed it to. It was no time to day dream she scolded herself even as the comb untangled the hair under her fingers and tension eased out of Thorin’s shoulders with every gentle pull of the carved bone against his scalp. 

When he was breathing normally and his form no longer looked taut as a bowstring, Bilba put the comb away and pulled out the small brush that she had commissioned for beard care. Moving to the front of her chair, the hobbit gently cupped the dwarfs chin in her fingers and began to run the brush over the coarse facial hair of her indentured servant. His eyes were closed, but he subtly leaned into her touch and that sent a small thrill of victory running through the owner of Bag End. To be trusted so, especially from someone who had been through so much was a heady thing. 

As she worked, Thorin opened his eyes so he could study the hobbit that had wormed her way into his heart of stone so quickly. She was unlike any being in Middle Earth he had ever encountered, and he would happily spend more than just seven years trying to unravel the mystery that she presented. All too soon, his beard was once again impeccable and his hair gleamed under the soft sunlight that filtered in from the outside world and Bilba was packing up the kit to return it to her pack once more. 

There was no words needed by this point, and breakfast was a quiet but relaxed affair. When it was finally time to go, once dishes had been cleaned and put away and the door to Bag End closed behind them with the spare key given to Hamfast; Thorin let loose a deep sigh from his chest. They were on their way. 

The ponies were sturdy little things, full of energy and mild tempered; unlike many other of their cousin breed that Thorin had ever seen the men ride. Bilba affectionately named hers Myrtle, and clearly expected her companion to name his as well, so the dwarf grudgingly decided to call the beast Thistle. The look he got from his host clearly said what she thought of the name, but nothing was said and so they continued on their way out of Hobbington relatively quietly. 

It wasn’t until they were nearing Bree, which would in turn take them to Buckland that Thorin thought of something very important that would need to be dealt with before they arrived. He and Bilba were already riding side by side down the path so he merely needed to turn his head so that he could speak with her. 

“Bilba. I know you’re not going to like this, but I’m going to have to ask you to listen to me very carefully.”

Bilba looked at Thorin in concern, his face was more serious than it had been for weeks, and she wasn’t sure she liked it at all. 

“The men in Buckland. They won’t take kindly to someone coming around asking questions about their merchandise if you’re not going to buy, and seeing a ‘indentured servant’ former sale will not please them at all. So. You’re going to have to pretend I’m your slave until we locate and rescue my nephews. You must pretend you’re interested in buying the boys. And I am going to have to act the part of your obedient property while there. That means you will have to interact with these men. Ill walk you through how to get the information without causing suspicion but it won’t be easy for you.”

Bilba was trembling slightly, her face white and lips in a tight line as he spoke. She didn’t want to have to see Thorin like that again, let alone have to talk as if she wasn’t horrified by the slavery going on. But, to save her dwarfs nephews she would face the men down, act however she needed to so that they would be safe again. 

“Me riding a pony, wearing good clothes and looking well cared for will be thought as eccentric but acceptable. Me not having a collar or talking for you will not be. In Bree you will need to buy me one.”

Thorin sighed softly at the offended look that Bilba formed when he mentioned the collar. She was going to need some coaching before she would be ready to face the men in Buckland. 

The leather works shop in Bree was visited, and a few short minuets later, a collar of well polished rounded hide with a silver buckle at the front was neatly fastened around Thorin’s throat, and a scowl had settled rather impressively onto Bilba’s normally gentle laughing face.

It would have been funny under other circumstances, but now with Buckland getting ever closer, it was time for the final words of advice that Thorin could offer to his hobbit friend. 

“You’re not going to want to ask straight up for a pair of young dwarfling’s. Flatter the man first. Then ask about other goods, add in little details that make vague references to the boy’s looks. You’ll do fine as long as you just keep calm.” 

Bilba stuck her tongue out at Thorin, as much as the plan made sense she didn’t have to like it after all. The thought of Buckland has soured in her mind, and being there would only reinforce the opinion she was sure. For a town that welcomed slavers was not one that she wanted to visit again any time soon. 

Sure enough as they went into the city and Thorin had his pony drop back a few feet respectfully, the dislike became even fiercer for the hobbit. The markets loud bustle did nothing to ease her tension, if anything it made it worse. But she had a job to do, and Bilba would see it through. 

It was easy to spot the slavers portion of the market; it had a large stage at the front and tents along the sides. There was no show on the stage at the time they arrived, so Thorin directed Bilba to the tent that Lobelia had purchased him from. 

The man was just as he remembered, a tall thin fellow with too little flesh in his body. He looked almost skeletal, and even now the sight of him sent a shiver down the dwarf’s spine. The seller had caught sight of Bilba however, and Thorin knew that the show was about to begin as the human made his way over to the pair; an oily welcome smile stretching the too thin lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay another chapter! and were out of the shire! Hope you guys like it. 
> 
> Also, for those who read author notes: would anyone be interested in a NorixDwalin fic? if so do please tell me.
> 
> Until next time!


	8. To the rescue we ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All credit to Tolkien as usual
> 
> another chapter yay!

Bilba could feel herself start to tremble slightly as the human approached her, and it was only the solid presence of Thorin at her back that kept her from wanting to flee in the opposite direction. The man looked like something that had crawled from a nightmare, and when he spoke, the dry rasp of his voice enforced the thought. 

 

Looking up at the slave trader, Bilba felt a spark of fury rise in her. This was a man that had caused so much suffering for countless beings with his business, and if she couldn’t do this for her dwarf to help his family then she wasn’t a hobbit at all, much less the woman that her mother had raised her to be. So she squared her shoulders and brought herself up to her full height as the human stopped his opening spiel for his merchandise and looked to his customer expectantly. 

 

“I…I am sure you have many fine specimens here. But you see I’m looking for something above the par of your normal stock.”

 

Gesturing behind her to Thorin, who hadn’t moved from his spot at her heels and who had his head lowered respectfully; Bilba looked back at the human. The man had a calculating look on his bony face and a glimmer of recognition flashed through the features before a wide, cruel smile replaced the welcoming one of before. 

 

“Ahh I remember you dwarf. Yer not the same lass that bought him from me little mistress.”

 

Bilba huffed slightly, gathering her courage around her like a coat of armor and looked up at the man with a slightly amused and satisfied look on her face. 

 

“No I’m not. My cousin couldn’t handle the quality of my dwarf effectively so I bought him from her. I’ve been very pleased with the results from him, and I’ve found myself desiring a new addition or two for my house. I was told you had the best contacts, and I’m looking for something abit specific.”

 

Bilba could practically see the human’s pride expand at the same time his chest did, and the oily smile was back again by the end of the hobbits words. Bowing slightly the man let out a pleased chuckle and pulled a leather bound notebook from his pocket. Thumbing open the book to the back, the human looked down at his customer and readied a pen. 

 

“Ill see what I can do, I’ve just recently come into several fine dwarrow specimens if that’s what yer looking for.”

 

Bilba nodded, relief at being believed nearly sapping her strength, but the barest of touches from Thorin’s hand to hers helped steady her for the rest of the interaction. She could do this, she had to. 

 

“Yes im looking for a pair of them actually. Younger than my first one by a considerable amount. Preferably brothers."

 

At this the human looked at Bilba abit suspiciously, but shrugged and said nothing. He thumbed through the book again, going over a list that poked out of the top and hummed slightly when he found what he was looking for. 

 

"I've got a pair ye might be interested in. Handsome things for dwarrow. Brothers, with contrasting coloring. I've sent them ahead to the next big city evenotm, If your interested in going there to pick them up ill give you a signet so my partner knows your a vip."

 

A quiet sigh escaped Bilba at the offer and she nodded in relief. Turning to Thorin she held out her hand and a small leather purse was placed in her palm. When she turned back the human was watching her closely but when she poured out 5 gold coins into her palm from the bag his expression became infinitely more agreeable. 

 

"Here's half up front for the pair. I'm expecting them to be there when I arrive in Evenotm though."

 

The man smiled and swept the coins away, proffering a piece of parchment with a standard contract for Bilba to sign. 

 

"Of course little mistress. Ill send a raven immediately and your new additions will be available in three days."

 

When the contract was signed, the man quickly swept it away and bowed to his customers; indicating that the meeting was over. 

 

"Thank you sir. Pleasure doing business with you."

 

Taking the hint, Bilba turned and left, Thorin following her sedately. It wasn't until they were out of the city and on their way to the city that they had been promised would have the boys that she allowed herself to release the tension that had built up inside her. A bout of laughter bubbled up out of her chest and she giggled for a few long minuets as Thorin looked on in concern. When her hysteria had calmed, she looked over to Thorin and smiled, relief stark on her face. 

 

“I did it. Were going to find them Thorin.”

 

Guiding his pony closer to Bilba’s, Thorin gently reached out and knocked their foreheads together, a slight smile pulling at his lips. 

 

“You did very well, I'm proud. Thank you.”

 

A flush made its way onto the hobbits face at the tender embrace and embarrassed, she tried to duck her head. That only resulted in her rubbing noses with her dwarf, which in turn embarrassed him. Quickly the two pulled away and looked back to the road, each trying not to steal glances at the other and failing. They continued on their journey in a only slightly awkward silence, for they had to make good time if they were to reach the city when the raven did. Three days, and they would see if it was Thorin’s nephews that Bilba had purchased. Just three short days and his family would be nearly back together again. 

 

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

 

Back at the slavers section of the market, the human was just getting ready to close up shop when a dark shadow blocked the entrance to his tent. Looking up, the man sneered at his visitors, his hand reaching for the knife he kept on his belt for times such as these. Just as his fingers landed on the pommel, sharp chill steel settled at his throat, cutting off the movements. He couldn’t turn his head, but the scent of leather oil and earth told him it was a dwarf that held him captive. 

 

The ones at the door walked in, menace coming from their postures and their faces, if he counted correctly, there were ten males and a female counting the one at his back. The ones at the front of the pack demanded attention; for the male was near tall as a man, bald but with fearsome tattoo’s and two axes unsheathed in his metal clad hands. The female was equally impressive, and bore a strong resemblance to someone he had seen just earlier that day. 

 

The knives at his throat hadn't moved an inch, and a soft, almost conversational voice started up by his ear as the two dwarrow closest to him brandished their weapons. 

 

“Now, we know who you are. And we know what you did. We want our kin back. And if you don’t tell us where they are in the next minuet, your going to be missing some limbs. Tap the table once if you understand”

 

The human did so slowly, his sneer never leaving his face despite the sheen of nervous sweat that appeared on his brow as the knives dug a little deeper into his flesh. 

 

“I've already got a buyer for your kin. Their on their way now to pick em up. Your too late.”

 

A low growl sprung from the muscle bound blad warrior, and one of the axes thudded into the ground less than a millimeter away from the humans foot. The dwarrow’s voice was a rough low rumble when he spoke; the tone brooked no deception if he wanted to keep his limbs.

 

“The city ye thrice dammed bastard grandchild of a half orc!”

 

Swallowing faintly, the human nodded. He wasn’t stupid; withholding information from this group was most definitely not in his best interest. 

 

“E..Evenotm. That’s the city. In three days time your family will be gone, sold off.”

 

Snarling angrily, the dwarf wrenched his axe from the ground and deposited it back in its carrier, turning his back on the human and stomping to the rest of the group. 

 

The dwarrow behind the human took that as his cue, and slammed the butt of one of his knives to the mans temple, knocking the slaver out. Letting the man fall, he stepped off the crate he had been using to stand on, and put the knives away into his clothes. His companions were murmuring amongst themselves, deciding the best course of action; but he already knew what it would be. One glance at the stiff form of their leader said it all. 

 

“We ride tonight. We cannot afford to loose time. My brother and sons are waiting, we will not fail them.”

 

Dis spun on her heel and marched out of the tent, closely followed by a scowling Dwalin and the rest of their group of loyal friends. They were so close to rescuing Thorin and the boys; nothing was going to stand in their way now. 

 

Nori sighed and silently followed the dwarrowdam, but not before pinching a thick pouch of gold from the sales table as he went by. Who knew what sort of bribes he would have to set up after all. 

 

Three days and they would rescue their kin, three days and the search for their king and his heirs would be over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allright! Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments and feedback. 
> 
> I will be doing a NorixDwalin, Im not sure when Ill be starting it, but hopefully soon. 
> 
> Until next time!


	9. Little Dwarflings needing Rescued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All credit to Tolkien!

The town of Evenotm was far worse than Buckland had been. The streets were less clean, the houses and shops far closer to total collapse. The people looked at travelers with wary or hungry expressions from behind half shuttered window s or from under deep hoods. In all, it was a rather unwelcoming town and Bilba wished to leave it as soon as possible. 

Thorin was in total agreement with his hobbit companions thoughts. The towns of men had always rankled him, but this one in particular sent a prickle of tension through his body and caused his hair to raise on the back of his neck. 

Even the ponies were restless, nervously stamping their feet and chomping at the bits in their mouths as they walked. Too soon but not soon enough the market came into view, and the hustle and bustle of many men tramping about was a startling difference to the near silent streets just a short ride in the opposite direction. 

Here the tents of the slavers were dingy and grey, and the guards were lean and held blades in clear view to all who would walk past. This was easily four times more terrifying than the encounter at Buckland had been, and Bilba could feel her hands shaking terribly as she made her way into the tent. Even the presence of Thorin brought little comfort, as the dwarf was just as tense as she was. 

The huge bear of a man that stomped his way over to the shorter pair loomed like a dark predator over the trembling hobbit, but when he saw the collar around Thorin's neck and the paper clutched in Bilba's small hands; a welcoming smile replaced the scowl on his lard filled face. 

"Ah, hello my good woman. Welcome. Your picking up an order I presume."

At the timid nod of confirmation that he received the man's smile grew and he placed a heavy hand upon Bilba's head and ruffled her honey gold curls in a parody of affection.

"well allright then, lets see your order form."

Bilba pressed the paper into the humans hand, watching nervously as he looked it over. She was rather afraid, and she couldn't help but muse on the sort of horrid situations that would happen if the man decided he didn't believe her and got violent. But her worries were for naught as the human looked up after finishing the document.

"Those two eh? Cant say I'll be sad to see them go, right pair of trouble they were. Id warn you about their stubbornness but seeing as you've already tamed an adult I suppose you wont have any problem with these younglings. Right this way."

With that the man turned on his heel and loped off into the depths of the tent, prompting Bilba to follow him as quickly as her shaking knees would allow; Thorin close behind her as they traveled into the darker section of the canvas draped space. 

The dwarf was growing tenser and tenser the farther they went, and when the man finally stopped by a closed off section of the tent, he resembled a rather stretched bowstring. 

"Here ya are, Ill go get the leashes for you."

The man tied back the section of canvas and walked away, not noticing the shocked expression of his customer. As soon as the man was gone, Thorin nearly bolted into the small space and fell to his knees beside the two figures on the dusty ground; a choked sounding stream of language Bilba couldn't understand flowing from his mouth.

Thorin's nephews were bound and gagged, with filthy cloth stuffed between their chapped lips and wound over their eyes so they couldn't see. Their hair like Thorin's had been before Bilba got him was ragged and in desperate need of a wash, and the clothes they were in could hardly be called that; so threadbare and ripped was the cloth. 

What skin was visible was dirty and littered in bruises and cuts, and they were so thin that it couldn't possibly be healthy. Their uncle was busy murmuring to them in that language unknown to Bilba, running his hands soothingly over their respective filthy hair as he tried to comfort them. When one of the lads shifted, exposing skinny wrists that had dried blood around the metal cuffs he was shackled with and burrowed closer to the sound of his family's voice; a burning fury as strong as any dragon fire burst into existence within Bilba's heart. 

The furious hiss that escaped the hobbit startled Thorin, and when he looked up in surprise and saw the state of his companion, he had to swallow abit. He had never seen the gentle halfling like this, she looked near ready to rip the human apart with her bare hands. The fact that she had her little sword Sting by her side really wasn't reassuring the dwarf any either. 

Of course that was the moment that the man decided to come back, two pieces of leather with metal clips at the end held in his hand. The sight of his fuming customer however, brought him up short and his pace slowed hesitantly. 

His arrival only lit the spark of flame that had started in the hobbit, and she whirled on the man in a flash, little fists planted on her hips and her eyes snapping with fire.

"Look at them!"

Bilba flung her hand out twored Thorin's nephews, her voice a shrill pitch that hurt the dwarf's ears as she spoke.

"Their in terrible condition! Practically useless! I was promised the best of your stock and this is the state they are given to me in?!"

The human looked rather sheepish and abit wary confronted by the hobbits wrath, and shrugging slightly hoping to cover his unease, he walked past Bilba and pushed Thorin aside so he could clip on the leashes to the dwarrowlings. 

"Sorry little mistress. They had been difficult to deal with lately so abit of extra punishment was needed. All ready to go now. If you'd like, Ill toss in an extra one to make up for the misunderstanding."

Bilba blinked abit, her fury fading a slight amount as she processed the mans words. She hadn't been expecting that, but if it gave her the chance to rescue another dwarf....

"Well. All right that will do I suppose."

When the man nodded and walked away again, the hobbit nearly collapsed against a near bye crate, her face white. 

Thorin carefully collected the dark haired boy into one arm and the blonde into another, looking at Bilba with something akin to wonder in his eyes. She truly was a remarkable hobbit.

"You just don't know when to stop helping do you Bilba."

The hobbit blushed at the praise from her dwarf and stuttered abit, but before she could form any real answer the man had come back, dragging a weakly struggling small dwarrow behind him. This one was in a better condition, clad in wooly knit clothing and not nearly as thin as the other two. The human passed the leash attached to the boy's collar over to Bilba and nodded in satisfaction at the completion of the trade.

"Here you are. Hope this makes up for any problems. Hope to see you again soon."

The boy was trembling, fitfully pulling at the leash attached to him and eyeing Bilba fearfully, but a few short words in the unknown language from Thorin quickly brought the lads attention to the other dwarf. The new dwarrow gasped faintly when he took in the other, but the lad relaxed and dociley followed the hobbit out of the tent and to the tied ponies without any more struggle. 

Fitting five people on two ponies was impossible, but Thorin figured out a solution by propping his nephews on his pony and walking alongside them; while Bilba had the other dwarf behind her. The ride back to the inn was quiet, broken only by the occasional whimper from one of Thorin's nephews and the quiet comforting words the older dwarrow spoke to the lads as they rode away from their prison.

The room that Bilba bought for the night had only two beds, but she didn't think about the implications as she helped her new companions up the stairs and into the room. Once the door was closed behind them, Thorin brought out the dagger that Bilba had bought him and swiftly cut away the bonds at his nephews mouth and eyes. When light allowed the pair to see again, they blinked up at their uncle in a small amount of disbelief for a few long moments, then with twin shouts of joy, they tackled their kin to the bed beneath them and buried their dirty faces into Thorin's broad chest. 

In turn, the dwarf wrapped his arms around his nephews and held them close, a whispered thanks to his creator escaping the older dwarrow's lips as he clutched his kin to his body. Bilba turned to the other young dwarf she had been given, a gentle smile on her face. 

"Hello there, I'm Bilba."

The dwarf ducked his head shyly, the odd bowl cut style of his light brown hair swaying slightly with the movement. 

"I'm Ori, of the brothers Ri..at your service mistress."

Making a face, Bilba set about picking the locks that held the shackles onto the dwarfs limbs, tutting slightly at the address the other gave her.

"Now non of that. Its Bilba or miss Baggins if you must be proper. I'm not your mistress so I don't want you calling me that."

Ignoring the slightly dumbfounded look Ori gave her, the hobbit let out a pleased sound when a click informed her she had gotten one shackle open, and making short work of the other three, she turned to where Thorin was nearly buried under his nephews on the bed. 

"Thorin. I can get the shackles off of them if you'd like."

The exiled royal nodded in assent, trying to get his boys to shift back enough so that the hobbit could work. They were both rather shy and wary when Bilba approached, but Thorin knew they would warm up to her rather quickly once they realized she wasn't like the others that had held them captive for so long. As Bilba worked, she kept up a steady stream of pleasant babble, her soft musical voice helping to settle the two nervous dwarrow just as their uncles had. If Thorin trusted the odd small woman then they could to. 

When the shackles were off both sets of wrists and ankles, Bilba quickly set about pouring glasses of water from the pitcher on the table and distributing them to her small group of dwarves. The pitcher had to be refilled twice before they were satisfied, but Bilba felt better now that some of their needs had been taken care of. 

"Now, Id say its bathtime, then dinner and then a long night of rest for us. I want to be out of this blasted city as soon as possible tomorow, and a full eight hours of sleep will go a long way to making that happen." 

Bilba smiled encouragingly at the three young dwarrows that were now in her and Thorin's care, rummaging around in one of the packs she had brought. Pulling out three clean sets of nightclothes, she offered one to each of the dwarfs with a sheepish little grin.

"Its a good thing I insisted on bringing a spare set of clothes, otherwise we would have to go shopping tomorow."

Ori, Kili and Fili stared in wonder at the clean new cloth; hardly able to believe their eyes. After the cruelty they had to endure for the past months, the kindness was nearly a shock to them. But a gentle nudge from the older dwarf behind them sent the three to stumbling thank you's in a heart beat. 

Waving away the comments, Bilba readied the bath in the next room and retreated to the main living space so Thorin could help his nephews and the other young dwarrow bathe. The boys were old enough that it would be rather embaressing to help them herself, and this way Bilba could order dinner as well. 

After the bath, the three young dwarves looked nearly estatic, and the sight of the full meal awaiting them did nothing but booste their spirits. While they ate, Bilba gently drew Thorin aside to remove the collar from his neck, and she tossed the hatefull thing onto one of the packs in the corner with a satisfied smirk. She knew he would have to wear it again tomorow when they made to leave the city, but until then it wouldnt have to be on Thorin's neck. 

"There, much better."

Thorin looked down at Bilba, his eyes a dark shade of saphire and gently cupped her cheek; pressing his forehead to her's in silent gratitude. His nephews were safe and would recover from their ordeal; and it was all thanks to the small, selfless, couragous hobbit that stood before him.

Fili and Kili noted the embrace and grinned at eachother from behind their respective pieces of food. They had been hoping for Years that their uncle would find someone to love, and now it seemed that he was on the fast track to finding just that. And with a cute, kind little hobbit as well. 

The meal over, Thorin set his nephews down infront of him before the fireplace and began to groom their hair, untangling their respective gold and brown locks and putting braids back in where they should have been. Ori tended to himself, polightly turning Bilba down with the explanation that his brothers would do it when they found him. 

Shrugging, Bilba didn't push, she knew that hair care was something done between those that trusted eachother implicetly and she knew that she wasn't counted as that yet for the three young dwarrow. When Thorin however denied his nephews trying to tend to his own mane and instead came to Bilba to do it for him, a warmth spread through the hobbit at the open show of trust that the older dwarf gave her. 

The nightly ritual helped to relax her fully, the rythmic pull of the comb through her dwarfs thick silky hair and seeing the tension fully drain from the others shoulders was a satisfying thing. And when Thorin's nephews pressed themselves into their uncles side while she worked and gave her shy smiles of acceptance for the act; the hobbit felt her heart swell just alittle more. 

The sleeping arrangments turned out abit awkward and embarressing, but with Fili and Kili adament that they would share one man sized bed with Ori, leaving the second bed for Thorin and Bilba; there was little the pair could do to disuade the younger dwarrow. 

Thorin of course promised to be an absolute gentledwarf, and Bilba chided him for thinking that she could think any less of him. After that the tension dropped out of the room again, and with the fire burning warmly in the hearth, and a equally warm well muscled dwarf at her back; with the other bed occupied with three snoring well cared for forms, Bilba was able to fall asleep with a contended smile on her face. 

Unbeknownst to her group, a number of ponies arrived in Evenotm that night, each one carrying a grim faced dwarf ready to go to battle to save their kin. Come morning they would march on the market, and come hell or balrog; they were going to leave that city with their stolen family. 

Bilba and her small adopted family of dwarrow slept on unaware of the plans taking place, not knowing what the next day would bring them. So they slumbered on, and if sometime during the night Bilba gravitated to the warm solid bulk of her dwarf and Thorin cuddled her close in his sleep; no one was any the wiser

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! Longest chapter yet! 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it,
> 
> Until Next time!


	10. Misunderstandings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All rights and credit for orrigional ideas go to Tolkien

When Dwalin son of Fundin and Dis daughter of Durin rode into the town in the morning, they wore matching looks of grim determination. They had come far to rescue their kin, and nothing was going to stand in their way now. All but one of their group was following close behind them as they moved through the dilapidated city; and that missing one was rather busy at the moment finding out information that would help them in the completion of their quest. 

Nori of the brothers Ri was frustrated. He had been in worse towns than this one, but at the same time he hadn't. The people were Expensive to bribe into giving information and what he had got was of little use.

By the time that his princess and her companions made it to the slavers market, they knew instinctively that it would be too late. The sneer on the large man's face only confirmed their fears and his smug jibe at their tardiness as he bragged about the sale was the final nail in more than one coffin.

Of course the man paid no heed to the murderous thundercloud like expression's that had hardened the dwarf's faces and continued to brag about the sale of their kin to one of the 'little people'; that is until an axe thudded into the mans forehead and ended his life as well as his speech. 

The group left the human in the puddle of blood, Dwalin wiping off his axe silently and accepting the comforting hand that Dis placed on his shoulder as best he could. The warrior was furious, seething and barely keeping a leash on his rage. The smallest thing could send him into a frothing rampage at the moment, for nothing riled a dwarf more than when his kin or king was in danger...and at the moment the one they sought was both. 

Discouraged, but with new information in tow the group began to head out of the market again. They needed to find out who this 'little people' were. Then they would be one step closer to saving their kin from whomever was stupid enough to enslave a dwarf king. 

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

On the other side of town, Bilba was just dragging herself from the deep slumber that she had fallen into, her shot nerves mostly recuperated from the shock they had gone through the night before. For some reason she was much more cramped, and over warm than she remembered being the night before, and when she cracked open her eyes, the scene she found melted her heart. 

Sometime during the night the three dwarflings that they had rescued had transferred into Thorin and her bed, and now they were all tangled together into a large dwarvish heap, pinning her to the sheets in the process. Kili and Fili had managed to smush themselves into their uncles arms, and Kili had a leg tossed over Bilba's lap while Fili's torso was pressing into her back. Ori was slumped over the top of them, his bowl cut hair barely visible from where he had lay himself. The odd tangle had pushed Bilba up against Thorin's chest, and the realization caused a rather deep blush to paint the hobbits' cheeks. But there was little she could do with how the three lads were trapping her, and so Bilba simply decided to settle down for a while longer. 

It was around this time that Thorin also was brought back to the world of the aware, and despite his joy and relief and finding himself buried under his nephews and the other dwarfling, he was acutely aware of the small hobbits that was currently trapped against his chest. It only became more embarrassing when he realized that Bilba was awake, and deciding to play it cool, Thorin merely indulged in stroking his nephews hair, alternating between his heir and the younger brother. 

Bilba certainly wasn't going to be the first one to say anything, and whether she admitted it or not, she was enjoying the snuggle fest of dwarves. The tender caressing that her dwarf was giving his nephews caused a smile to pull at her lips, and the hobbit could almost pretend that the awful circumstances that had caused the current situation hadn't happened and that the lads had been with her and Thorin for a long time..and that they had been happy together for a longer time. 

It was almost...domestic. And a wonderful day dream for the hobbit who had been alone for so long since her parents death. But all day dreams must come to an end eventually, and when the hungry grumble of the older dwarfs stomach sounded in the quiet room, the sound woke the three younger. 

It was painful to watch their instinctive reactions, Fili lunging upright and pushing his brother behind him, the blue eyes so like Thorin's wide with fear. Ori and Fili were no better, the dark haired Durin huddled behind his sibling and whimpered, and the youngest Ri brother had curled in on himself as if to ward off an attack. 

The sight broke Bilba's heart again and with a wounded sound, she flung herself at the closest dwarfling and wrapped her arms around him, murmuring comforting nothings into the large ear buried in the thick gold blond hair. 

Poor Fili was terribly confused for a few moments before the previous nights memories came rushing back to him, but when they did a relieved sob escaped the dwarf, and he hugged the distraught hobbit clinging to him tighter to his body, a laugh escaping his mouth. 

Thorin had likewise moved to comfort his kin, and Kili was currently enfolded into his uncles strong arms, his sniffles muffled by the shirt the older dwarf was wearing. Reaching out for his elder nephew, the king dragged his family and Bilba to him and wrapped his arms around all three, a sense of near completeness swamping his heart. The only ones missing were his sister and shield brother, but he knew he would most likely not see them for a long while yet. 

So for now he simply sat on the man sized bed in a dingy town, with Kili pressed to his chest and Fili clutched tight in his arms, with Bilba between his nephews and counted himself blessed. 

Poor Ori had just now peeked out from behind his arms, and when he saw the Durin family sitting in such a comfortable looking pile of reassurance, he felt a longing enter his breast for the same with his own brothers. But for now they were not there and since Bilba had noticed his absence and was holding out a small hand in invitation..it would have to do. 

The five of them stayed cuddled together for a good long while, but sooner or later natures call sounded and they were forced to abandon their safe haven for sustenance and the privy. The rest of the morning was passed with preparations, and it was with a heavy heart that Bilba picked up the collar once again to place on Thorin. She hated it, and she could tell that the boys did to, but as her dwarf reminded her it was necessary until they were safely back in the shire, so it returned to its place on Thorin's neck before they left the room.

The collars were also back on Fili and Kili and Ori, but though they looked nervous it was better than it had been yesterday. 

The ponies were ready to for them outside of the hotel, and while the boys were working up the nerve to leave the building, Thorin went to check on their mounts. He was careful to keep up his 'meek slave' act, it wouldn't do for him to give them away while they were leaving after all. 

Dis was nearly ready to break down. She had tried so hard for so long to rescue her brother and her sons and to have come so close only to fail broke her heart. The denial was also breaking her spirit and she wasn't sure how much longer she could go on. Rounding a corner by the hotel backed by Dwalin and Nori, the princess guided her pony from behind a human cart piled high with towering straw...and stopped in her tracks. 

There before her eyes like some wonderful hallucination was her brother. There was no mistaking his strong shoulders or the line of his Durin nose. Mouth open like a landed fish, Dwalin stared at his best friend, whole and hale and only meters in front of him, but slowly some details began to sink in. The leanness of his form, the way his hair was tied with no braids to be seen, the subservient way that he was moving and the collar buckled around his neck. 

Fury welled up inside the guard but just as he was about to charge foreword, Dis pressed a trembling hand to his chest to still movement. Her voice shook as much as her appendage did, but there was steel in her eyes. 

"We will find out what spawn of Mordor has my brother and we will follow them when we leave. It will be simpler to ambush the bastards on the road than to fight them here. And when we catch up to them, we will slaughter the one who has kept us from our family for so long."

They hid behind the straw cart, guard, princess and thief and filled in the rest of the group as they arrived. And so the exiled dwarves of Erebor waited. It was not long before Dis got her answer. When Bilba came walking out of the hotel with three leashes in hand and Ori and Dis's sons attached to the end of the leather ties, it was abundantly clear. The dwarrow dam felt a deep well of hatred begin to swell inside her breast as she looked upon the small female and beheld her precious sons for the first time in months. They looked to be in bad shape despite the new clothes they had on. Thorin helped her boys to mount one of the ponies while Ori got on the second, and Bilba mounted in front of the small dwarrow while Thorin gripped the reins of the beast that carried his nephews. 

At a word from the hobbit they all moved off and Dis's heart ached to leave her kin in the hands of their captor for even the small time it would take to free them. 

Dwalin and Dori alike were practically frothing at the mouth, clearly intent on ripping apart the small being that held their family captive. But, ever crafty, Dis held them back. She sent Nori to find out exactly who the small one was and while they waited, she planned. 

The name she recieved seemed innocent enough as did the description of the race that the female supposedly belonged to. But Dis could not..would not believe it. She wanted her sons and her brother back and she was going to get them. 

"Bilba Baggins...you will rue the day you ever met the line of Durin."

Hefting her axe, the princess guided her pony that she had brought on her journey out from behind the hay cart, hardly noticing Dwalin and her friends doing the same, following her lead. They were going to war. They knew where to go and who to target, and they were going to get their kin. That night would bring the spilling of blood and Dis was going to take pleasure in seeing the tormentor of her family suffer as she died. 

Bilba was completely unaware of the danger that was riding closer to her and her dwarves, simply relieved that they were away from the city and would be to the Shire in less than three days time. She was humming to herself, a joyful little tune when she heard the quiet chuckle coming from the pony next to her. Turning, the hobbit saw that the lads had convinced Thorin to ride with them once they were a sufficient distance from the wretched town, and though the pony seemed abit disgruntled, it was handling the weight easily enough. 

"We should stop at nightfall, its only a few hours away and as much as I want to get home as soon as possible, I think that the boys are going to be tired then."

The avid protests only brought a smile to Bilba's face, she had a clear feeling that exhaustion would be setting in soon enough seeing as they were healing, but she wouldn't push. She would simply let nature take its course. 

Sure enough when they made camp that night, the three young dwarrow were slumped in the bedrolls hardly able to move to eat their supper, but Bilba didn't take it as an insult to the food. She merely tutted over the lads and tucked them into their bedding, smiling fondly at their sleepy faces. Once they were all dozing she joined Thorin by the fire, and with a quiet groan sank down to the ground beside him. 

"As much as this adventure has been fun, Ill be glad for my own bed."

Thorin smiled around the pipe that was situated between his lips and let himself relax into the gentle companionship that Bilba provided. But he couldn't relax completley yet, as he had felt uneasy since leaving the town and nothing was helping the feeling to go away. He couldn't shake the sense that some danger was coming and he had learned to trust his instincts. 

It was hard not to smile though with a drowsy hobbit next to him, still chattering on about Bag End. In all honesty he was looking foreword to making it back as well. The place had become like a home to him in some way, far more than the Blue Mountains ever had anyway, but it wasn't Erebor...and that mountain would forever remain his home at heart. 

It wasn't until a set of gentle, garden calloused hands were removing the fake collar from his neck that Thorin realized he had drifted off with his concentration, but it felt nice to no longer have the weight of the leather about his neck.

But just as Bilba was setting the item off to the side, a quiet twang sounded off in the distance followed by a loud shout that rung through their camp and sent his blood singing in joy but his heart screaming in terror for his hobbit, because he recognized that chorus of voices, and if they were attacking and not simply greeting it would not end well for Bilba at all.

Grabbing Bilba, Thorin turned his body to shield hers just as an arrow flew out of the darkness straight for her, but instead of piercing the soft flesh of her body it sunk into the hard muscle of Thorin's shoulder. His low grunt of pain was underscored by Bilba's frightened cry of his name, concern coloring her tone; but his focus was not on the arrow in his flesh but rather on the axe wielding form of his shield brother that had come crashing into camp an instant after the arrow, followed by a great number of other dwarves, some of whom swarmed over the lads where they had sprung up at the cry but the majority having flocked to where Thorin had pressed Bilba to the ground under him to keep her safe.

He could see the surprised and horrified face of Dwalin as he caught sight of the arrow sticking out of his king, but what caught his gaze the most was Dis, who was standing behind the warrior with a stricken and white countenance as she beheld the wound she had given her brother. 

All hell had officially broken loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay another chapter! Im sorry I was gone so long, I got a case of writers block! But Im back now and this chapter gets us somewhere! Enjoy and comment!
> 
> also, rating may change soon if people want Thorin and Bilba to get anywhere romanticly...votes for that? 
> 
> Until Next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so here we go! first chapter up. they will be short but they will be hopefully not too terrible. 
> 
> All mistakes are mine, as are any artistic liberties I take in writing this. Hope you enjoy!


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